Early Summer Fruit

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

I found lots of great fruit in California! I decided not to bring back cherries

because they're so perishable and the local ones will be ripe in a couple weeks.

I did get yellow peaches, white nectarines, apricots and blueberries. The

blueberries are transitional (will be certified organic next year) and the rest

are conventional. The organic farms were not even close to being ready for

harvesting. I drove by Frog Hollow Farms and their fruit was green.

 

As Shari explained, the conventional trees are sprayed during the dormant season

(November) so there is no chance of residual contamination. I spoke to lots of

farmers and at least in the San Joaquin Valley, organic vs. conventional is not

a black and white issue. One farmer told me that it doesn't make sense to try

to be organic since the farms are so close together. I don't know if that's

valid, however, because there are lots of organic farms located next to

conventional ones and I suspect there are ways they get around the problem of

drift.

 

Also, apparently organic farmers are now being required by the USDA to dip their

fruit in a chlorine solution. I've read that organic fruit has more bacteria on

it than conventional, so I assume this is the reason. Of course the presence of

bacteria is not a bad thing, because our food is supposed to have bacteria on it

(they are everywhere), but try telling that to people who think that chlorine

makes food " safer " (the same people who want to pasteurize almonds, btw). I was

told by one farmer that as a result of the new chlorine rule, some organic farms

are giving up the organic label in favor of something in between they call

" sustainable " so that they can continue to not spray their crops, command a

slightly higher price for them (when selling directly to the public), but not

have to dance to the USDA's ridiculous guidelines.

 

After I fill the orders I got, I'll still have lots of fruit left to sell.

Following is a breakdown of what I have, and the prices. If you'd like to

order, please call asap as most of the fruit will be at peak ripeness probably

around mid-week. None of the fruit has been refrigerated, and it was all

harvested 2-4 days ago. Although some of the prices might seem comparable to

the supermarket (high), these fruits are of much higher quality than anything

sold locally right now. My trips to California are motivated primarily by my

own desire to eat the best food I can possibly acquire.

 

White nectarines $4.00/lb

Mild, sweet, juicy, small and red with lots of " russeting " on the skin (a sign

of sweetness).

 

Peaches $4.00/lb

Very juicy and will ripen faster than the nectarines. Not quite as sweet as

what we get in the summer here, but far superior to what is available in the

stores right now.

 

Apricots $5.00/lb

These had to be harvested firm but if they are not refrigerated they will ripen

nicely off the tree. If you've only had the inedible garbage that passes for

apricots in grocery stores, these will be a surprising treat. They are colorful

(red/orange/yellow), small, sweet, juicy and tender-skinned. I've noticed one

of the things that happens to mishandled (over-refrigerated) apricots is that

the flesh is tough and the skin becomes tart. When ripe, these apricots are

tender and sweet all the way through. They may require a few more days to ripen

fully. They should not be squishy but should give slightly to the touch and

when you open them up the nectar should be visible.

 

Blueberries $5 per 12-oz carton

The blueberries were the highlight! They are huge and sweet. The price is high

compared to what we pay during blueberry season here but right now local

supermarkets are selling 4.4 ounce containers of conventional blueberries for

$2.50 when you're lucky enough to find them on sale, and organic ones are $4-5

for the same amount, to say nothing of the lack of freshness and quality. These

berries really are special. I think they're even better than the ones I

normally get in summer here. It was fun picking them because they were so big

and thick on the bushes.

 

I also spoke to an organic almond farmer about getting unpasteurized almonds.

He said he would be willing to ship a large quantity of almonds to me shortly

after harvest in mid-late August. They are shelled mechanically (unheated) and

will not be pasteurized. He won't be able to quote me a price until harvest

time, but I suspect getting them directly from the farmer would allow me to sell

them for much less than other sources, plus they'll be raw. I'll keep you

posted!

 

I apologize for not getting back to people who called to place orders. I had a

hectic week! Whether you've placed an order already or not, if you want fruit

please call me to confirm and let me know when you'll be by to pick it up. (I'm

in Bellevue, btw). I'm hoping everyone will be able to come by either Sunday or

Monday evening.

 

Thank you,

Nora

425.802.0165